Reinforce supporting structural unit



Sept. 30,1947. D. HyBlTNEY I 2,

HEINFORCE SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed April 2, 1946 nvmvron i Bea/e7 Mfiff/ney Arromvtx Patented Sept. 30, 1947 UNITED STATES ATENro-FFlcE Dewey H. Bitney, Albion, Mich.,' assignor to Union Steel Products Company, Albion; Mich.

Application April 2; 1946, Serial No. 659,102

9 Claims. (Cl. 72-122) This invention relates to improvements in reinforce supporting structural units.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a structural unit for the supporting of reinforce bars or like elements which is capable of a wide adaptation in use, supporting reinforce elements in selected relationship.

Second, to provide a structural unit adapted for association with other similar units and reinforce bars to support the same in proper relationship without likelihood of their being distorted or displaced prior to or during the pouring of the concrete.

Third, to provide a structure having these and other advantages which may be very economically produced. a 1

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in w ich:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a structural unit embodying the features of the invention, reinforce bars or elements being shown by dotted lines associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially broken away and in transverse section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in front elevation illustrating details of one of the chairs of the unit and the reinforce bar supporting and retaining clips, the springing action of the clipv in engagement of the bar therewith being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of an alternative structure in which the chair elements are differently positioned relative 'to the snap-in clip members on the longitudinal rod...' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to'Fig. 3

withthe clip in position'to support an upper rod in parallel relation to the longitudinal rod.

In the accompany drawing, I have illustrated in a vertical plane, the corrugations being uniformly spaced and providing a plurality of upwardly facing seats 2 adapted to receive reinforcing bars or elements 3. The bars may be selectively disposed in these seats 2, the corrugations being uniformly spacedso that the bars 3 may be located in spaced relation by the workmen without the necessity of measuring in the placement of these bars.

The rod is supported in somewhat elevated position-by the U-shaped snap-in bar supports 4 and the inverted U-shaped chairs 5. These snap-in bar supports 4 are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation on the rod I and fixedly secured thereto,-the' supports 4 being springable to provide clips for the reinforcing bars 6 arranged in seats "I inthe --longitudinal bar, the clips 4 being aligned with these seats. The arms 8 of the snap-in clips or' supports 4 are welded to the longitudinal rod.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the chairs 5 are arranged in transverse'relation to the longitudinal rodandone leg-thereof is welded to the longitudinal rod as indicated conventionally in the drawing. -When'arranged transversely, the chairs. provide eii'ective legs and bracing members for maintaining the unit in upright position. The chairs are provided with U-shaped clips 9, the lower arms H) of which'are welded to the outer arm of the chairthat is, the arm that is not attached to the-longitudinal rod.

Thearms of theclip are disposed transversely -of the chair, the upperarm terminating in an upturned inwardly offset or inwardly bent fingerspacedfrom the chair so that a reinforcing bar. l2 may be snapped into or sprung into the clip, as. shown in Fig. 3. ,Both the snapin supports 4. and the chairs 5 constitute legs for the longitudinal bar. and when the reinforce bars 6 and l'2' are engagedwith theunit and with a corresponding. unitior units laterally spaced therefrom, a very secure support is provided for the reinforcing. elements, and the reinforcing elements are .no'tilikely to bedisturbed or displaced by the workmen walking thereon or the materialedropped thereon or drawn thereover and thereinforcing bars are efiectively supported for thepouringor placement of the concrete. The bars. 3 may be wired in the seats if further anchoring is required although that is ordinarily unnecessary.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the chair I 3is positioned close to the support 4 so that the bar I2 is substantially in the plane of the bar 6.

-In the embodiment-shown in Fig. 5, the clip 9 is mounted on the side of the chair, that is,

it is turned one quarter angularly relative to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the bar I2 would be positioned in parallel relation to the longitudinal rod I.

If desired, the chairs may be provided on one leg thereof with the clips arranged as shown at 9 in Fig. 1 and on the other leg with clips arranged as shown in Fig. 5. When that is done, the two clips should be disposedoi at different elevations. In such an arrangement the rods l2 are not only suitably supported as reinforce bars but they constitute effective brace members for the chairs.

My improved structural units are capable of a Wide adaptation in use and are highly effective in supporting the reinforce bars or'elements and at the same time they may be made of quite light stock.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe various modifications oradptations of my invention as it is believedthat this disclosure will enable those skilledin the art to embody or 'adap my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A structural unit comprising a corrugated longitudinal rod disposed with its corrugations in a vertical plane, the corrugations being uniformly spacedand of uniform depth and comparatively shallow relative to the length of the rod and constituting seats with which reinforce barsmay be selectively engaged, a plurality of upwardly facing U- shap'edsnap-in bar supports secured to said rod in longitudinally spaced rela-- tion and in aligned relation with certain of the seats of said rod to springab ly engage reinforcing bars arranged in such-seats and disposed transversely said longitudinal rod, said snap-in bar;s upports constituting leg members for said rod, inverted U-shaped chair members disposed in alternating relation to said snap-in supports and secured to the rod, said chair members constituting legs for; said rod and projecting'substantiallyabovesaid snap-in'supports; and U- shaped spring clips disposed; with their arms transversely of said chair members-and having their lower arms fixedly secured to: the chair members, their upper-armsterminating in upturned fingers cooperating-withthe arms of said chair member on which the'clip' is -secured to springa-bly-receivea reinforcing bar and support the same in elevated-relation relative tothe reinforcing bars-arranged'on said longitudinal rod or engaged in said'rsnap-in "bar supports.

2; A structural unit comprising alongitudinalrod, a plurality of upwardly facing U-sha'ped snap-in barsupports'seciire'd tosaidrod' inlon'gitudinally spaced relation and constituting leg members for said rod,said-snap-in supports for springably engaging reinforcing"bars disposed transversely of said longitudinal 'bar, inverted U-- shaped chair members' disposed :in alternating relation to saidsnap-insupports and secured to the'rod, said chairmembers constituting legs for said rod and projecting substantially above said snap-in supports, and U-shapedspring' clips disposed with their arms transversely of said chair members and having their lower arms fixedly secured to the chair members, their'upper arms terminating in'upturned fingers cooperating with the arms of said chair member on which the clip is secured to springably receive a reinforcing bar and support thesame-in elevated relation relative to the reinforcingbars arranged on said longitudinal rod or engaged in said snap-in bar supports.

3. A structural unit comprising a longitudinal rod, a plurality of upwardly facing snap-in bar supports secured to said rod in longitudinally spaced relation and constituting leg members for said rod, said snap-in supports for springably engaging reinforcing bars disposed transversely of said longitudinal bar, chair members disposed in alternating relation to said snap-in supports and fixedly secured to said rod to constitute legs therefor, the chair members projecting substantially above said snap-in supports,

and springable reinforce bar clips mounted on --said chair members to springably receive a reinforcing bar and support the same in elevated relation relative to the reinforcing bars arranged on said longitudinal rod or engaged in said snapin supports.

4. A structural unit comprising a longitudinal rod, a plurality of upwardly facing snap-in bar supports secured to said rod in longitudinally spaced relation,-said snap-in supports for springably engaging reinforcing bars disposed transversely of the longitudinal bar, chair members fixedly secured to said rod, the chair members projecting substantially above said snap-in supports, and springable reinforce bar clips mounted on said chair members to springably receive a reinforcing bar and support the same in elevated relation relative to the reinforcing bars arranged-on said longitudinal rod or engaged in said snap-in supports.

A structural unit comprising a longitudinal rod vertically corrugated at predetermined intervals, a plurality of snap-in bar supports secured .to said rod in longitudinally spaced relation-and in relation to the corrugations therein to springably receive andretain' reinforce bars resting in corrugations in the latter, and disposed transversely said longitudinal rod, said longitudinal'rod having a plurality of corrugations between said support members, and a plurality of chair members secured to said rod and having spring clips thereon disposed above said snap-in supports and adapted to springably receive reinforce members for supporting the same in elevated relation relative to said longitudinal rod and the reinforce elements arranged thereon, the reinforce bars engaged in said clips constituting means for holding the unit in upright position when associated with other similar units.

'6. A structural unit comprising a longitudinal rod, apluralityof bar clips secured to said rod in longitudinally spaced relation-to springably receive and retain reinforce bars disposed transve'rsely offsaid longitudinal rod, and a plurality of 'chair'members securedto said rod and having spring clips thereon disposed above said bar clips and adapted to springably receive reinforce members'for supporting thesame in elevated relation relative tosaid longitudinal rod and the reinforce "elements engaged in said clips thereon, the reinforce bars engaged in said clips constituting meansfor holding the unit in upright position when associated with other similar units.

7. A structural unit comprising a corrugated longitudinal rod'disposed with its corrugations in a vertical plane,- the corrugations being uniformly spaced and of uniform depth and comparatively shallow relative to the length of the rod and constituting seats withwhich reinforce bars may be selectively engaged, a plurality of pairs of legs fixedlysecured to said rod to project above the rod,'the upper ends'of the legs being connected by an integral downturned loop constituting a strut, the arms of the loop being outwardly offset to receive a reinforce bar disposed on one of the seats and disposed transversely said longitudinal rod, and inverted U-shaped chairs, one leg of each of which is welded to said rod, said chairs constituting legs for said longitudinal rod and being alternatively arranged relative to said firstnamed legs, said chairs having U-shaped reinforce bar clips disposed with their arms transversely of the arms of the upright, the lower arms being welded to the arms of the upright, the upper arms terminating in upturned fingers cooperating with the upright arms to support a reinforce bar.

8. A structural unit comprising a rod provided with a series of vertically disposed corrugations to provide seats for receiving and supporting reinforcing bars transversely of said rod, a plurality of chair members spaced along the length of said rod, the chair members being of inverted U-shape to provide a pair of supporting legs and a connectin loop-like portion integrally connected to said legs, the legs of a pair and said connecting loop-like portion being disposed in a plane transversely of said rod, said rod being secured to and supported by one of the legs of each pair, a spring clip disposed above said rod and secured to the other leg below said connecting loop-like portion of said pair to springably receive and support a reinforcin bar in an elevated position relative to the reinforcing bars supported by and disposed transversely of said rod, the spring clip supporting leg being free of said rod supported by the other leg to permit movement l 6 of the spring clip supporting leg independently of said rod.

9. A structural unit comprising a rod having means spaced along the length thereof for seating reinforcing bars transversely of said rod, a plurality of chair members spaced along the length of said rod, the chair members being of inverted U-shape to provide a pair of supporting legs and a connecting loop-like portion integrally connected to said legs, said rod being secured to and supported by one of the legs of a pair, said chair members extending above said rod and provided with spring clips secured to the other leg below the connecting loop-like portion thereof to springably engage and support a reinforcing bar in an elevated position relative to the reinforcing bars supported by and disposed transversely of said rod, the spring clip supporting leg being free of said rod supported by the other leg to permit movement of the spring clip supporting leg independently of said rod.

DEWEY H. BITNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,794,138 Bitney Feb. 24, 1931 1,850,400 Lampert Mar. 22, 1932 2,106,576 Reiland Jan. 25, 1938 2,170,635 Emigholz Aug. 22, 1939 2,272,362 Callaway Feb. 10, 1942 

